In These Countries, Military Service Is Mandatory

Mandatory military service is a controversial topic all over the world due to political and religious beliefs. Some people think that it is a good thing since this strategy can be used to have a powerful military that can be deployed during the war or in the case a country needs protection from their enemies. In the past, countries like China and France imposed mandatory military service in 221 BC under Qin Empire and French Revolution in the 1790s, respectively. Today, there are actually 73 countries that do this kind of practice. Some of these countries are:

Taiwan

It is a really small island nation who has a long struggle with mainland China, so it isn’t surprising that they would need compulsory military service. The Taiwanese people want to be prepared with an appropriate number of active troops and a trained reserve group that can be activated in case they go to war. The official name of their military is The Republic Of China Armed Forces. The length of the service is four months for basic training of men while women don’t participate. It was recently adjusted in order to have more professional citizens while maintaining high-level trained soldiers.

Colombia

This country is known for having a huge conflict between the government and the guerrillas. Add the factor of having large drug cartels, it will definitely result in deaths and misery of the citizens. Since 2004, almost 5,000 soldiers were killed and 20,000 were wounded in such clashes. In order to fight back, the government has made military services compulsory to men for 12 to 24 months – depending on the specific department and educational background. However, this practice is being scrutinized because there are reports of men from poor families being put on the front lines while those who are wealthy are placed in much easier tasks.

Israel

Israel is considered to be one of the strongest countries that have mandatory military service. It is a very small country that succeeded to fight multiple superior enemies during the second half of the 20th century. In the process, they were on the brink of extinction but were able to regroup and survive the wars. They are called “Israeli Defense Forces” as they are trained mostly in defensive missions. The main reason for their successful military force is because it is mandatory. Men need to serve for 32 to 36 months – depending on the branch – and 24 months for women. This country is also one of the few that requires women to participate in the military.

Brazil

This country is really strict when it comes to military service. Men have to serve for 10 up to 12 months, depending on their education. You need to have proper documents as proof that you already rendered your service or qualified with the exemption. Once you are done with the service, you will be able to get a passport, enroll at universities, and get a job in organizations that use public funds on the local or federal level. Draft dodgers don’t have this kind of rights so they won’t be able to go outside the country, finish their education, or get a proper job. Therefore, men are forced to serve if they want to have a good life.

China

Nowadays, China is making some big news headlines with their recent issues concerning territories in Asia. There are several activities in the West Philippines Sea that creates tension among countries such as Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and Japan. Even the U.S. is dragged into the issue due to its alliance with some Asian countries. Even though we think that China is moving single-handedly with these territorial disputes, we can observe that they can hold their own. With the help of developing technology, they are able to get top-class equipment and weapons. As a result, the People’s Liberation Army recruitment drastically increased. In addition to building a stronger military group, they approved several amendments to their conscription laws to increase the education level of their soldiers. Students attending colleges aren’t exempted anymore and the maximum recruitment age was pushed to 24 years old.